{  Tsuru Ton Tan — つるとんたん  }

Tsuru Ton Tan -- つるとんたん
Tsuru Ton Tan -- つるとんたん
Tsuru Ton Tan -- つるとんたん
Tsuru Ton Tan -- つるとんたん

Tsuru: tsuru tsuru tsuru the sound of eating udon
Ton: ton ton ton the sound of making the noodles
Tan: tan tan tan the sound of cutting the noodles

This chain udon restaurant on the 10th floor of Tokyu Plaza in Ginza opened in the Spring of 2016 and is not only beautifully designed but is also spacious and has quite the luxurious feel to it with a grand piano and bar. At night you can enjoy some live Jazz music and surprisingly the udon is affordable despite the location and ambiance.

You can choose from regular thickness or thin noodles and the udon comes in quite a large bowl with a large spoon. Above are the Niku udon (980yen) and Mentaiko udon (1280yen). How pretty is this salad? Tsuruton salad for two (1080yen). Everything was delicious, highly recommend!

PS: They are also located at Haneda Airport International Terminal.

Address // Tokyu Plaza 10F, 5-2-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-6264-5326
Website // http://www.tsurutontan.co.jp/shop/ginza-udon/

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{  Muji Cafe  }

Muji Cafe
Muji Cafe

If you haven’t checked out Muji, you definitely should. It’s a great store that has everything from stationary and clothing to furniture and food. Some of the larger Muji stores also have a cafe attached, called Muji Cafe. The store that’s located in Yurakucho/Ginza is one of the largest Muji stores in Tokyo and it also contains the largest Cafe Muji i’ve ever seen. It’s a great place to have a light lunch or a tea/coffee break if you’re doing a shopping session in Ginza.

As you can see from the photos above, the cafe also includes a bakery section with a variety of delicious baked goods. If you’re going to buy something from the bakery, I would recommend their number 1 seller, the pretzel croissant with red bean.

Address // 3-8-3, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-5208-8241
Website // www.muji.net/shop/cafemeal.html

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{  Yurakucho Yakitori Nenohi  }

Yurakucho Nenohi
Yurakucho Nenohi
Yurakucho Nenohi

I asked a friend if they could take us out to an ultimate Japanese salary-man experience along with some good food and we ended up at “ga-do shita” (“underneath the railroads”) in Yurakucho. I’ll have more pictures just of “ga-do shita” in a different post – here.

There’s a ton of options all packed into a small area hidden among small alleyways, but we decided to check out this Yakitori place called “Yurakucho Nenohi”. The place was filled with Japanese Salary-men who had just finished work and were all enjoying their beer and yakitori. The food was all good and cheap – about 160yen each for Yakitori. The place is very small so be prepared to literally sit right next to a few strangers. The restaurant also allows smoking so if you are a non-smoker, it might get a little smoky. Actually, the place is already smoky with all the Yakitori smell so make sure you wear something you don’t mind getting stinky in!

Address // 2-3-3, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 03-3571-9132
Website // n/a

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{  Yurakucho Ga-do Shita  }

Ga-do Shita
Ga-do Shita

Yurakucho’s “Ga-do Shita” is an area with many Izakayas and Yakitori restaurants hidden away literally underneath the railroad tracks. As a result, when you visit this area you can expect to hear the JR and bullet trains passing by above you. Most people traveling on the trains would have no idea what they’re passing over, but in this somewhat mysterious part of Tokyo lie some hidden spots.

We visited Ga-do Shita on a day after it snowed in Tokyo so it was quite empty, but it is typically packed with salary-men drinking away the night. During the summer time, everyone sits outside in the open space and it becomes very lively and loud.

Check out Yurakucho Nenohi if you’re in the area. We enjoyed it!